Cordless electric teakettle



m 3 .1 6 y u a a a &/ m W 9 m 2 4 .md m 1 w M 5L F 7 w a 5 w 2 w fi w h 2 a I l 4 g 19 fl m/K G. H. BROWN CORDLESS ELECTRIC TEAKETTLE Aug. 22, 1950 Filed Oct. 29, 1945 Aug. 22, 1950 G. H. BROWN CORDLESS ELECTRIC TEAKETTLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 29, 1945 INVENTOR. 60/4Z/7 ff. Bra n0 Patented Aug. 22, 1950 UNITED STATES FATENT OFFICE.

CORDLESS "ELECTRIC 'TEAKETTLE Gordon H. Brown, Detroit, Mich.

Application October 29, 1945, Serial No. 625,264

9*0laims'. 1

This invention relates-to-electric teakettles and hasparticular reference to a new and improved construction for electric teakettles.

Principal objects of the invention are to provide:

A new and improved electric teakettle;

A cordless electric teakettle;

An electric kettle and separate base therefor, each provided with terminals so that a current conducting cord-may beattached directly to the teakettle or to the base, and wherein the kettle and base are provided with means for closing the circuit through the heating element in the kettle whenthe kettle is arranged on the base;

An electric teakettle embodying the construction-and features hereinafter set forth;

A cordless electric teakettle including a base and provided with thermally responsive means by which the temperature of the kettle and its contents may be controlled.

Other and further objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description and claims and will be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, of which there are two sheets, which, by way of illustration, show preferred embodiments and the principles thereof and what I now consider to be the best mode in which I have contemplated applying those principles. Otherembodiments of the invention embodying the same orequivalent principles maybe used and structural changes may be made as desired by those skilled in the art without departing from the present invention and the purview of the appended claims. I also contemplate that of the several different features of my invention, certain ones thereof may be advantageously employed in some applications separate and apart fromihe' remainder of the features.-

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of an electric teakettle embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevational View thereof;

Fig, 3 is a plan view of the base with the kettle removed;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view through the'kettle and its base and taken generally in a plane along the linedi of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken generall in a plane along the line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken generally along the line 6-6 of Fig. 1;

Fig.- 7 is a fragmentary cross sectional view of a kettle and its base, and illustrating a modified form-of the invention;

Fig. 8- is a fragmentary plan view of the base illustrated in Fig. 7

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic illustration of the circuit for-the heating element and its terminals; and

Fig. 10 isa fragmentary vertical'sectional view through the thermostatic safety switch.

As illustrated in the embodiment of'tlie invention shown in Figs. 1 to 6, an electric teakettle may comprise a kettle forming a vessel for holding liquid to be heated and having a pouring and filling spout 12', a handle Hi; and a base [6. lhekettle I0 is internally provided with an electric resistance heating element 18 (Fig. 9) which is arranged in the lower part of't'he kettle and so as to be submerged in the liquid to be heated therein.

Fora more complete disclosure of the construction of the kettle and its associated ele ments; reference may be had to my copending applications SerialNo. 539,201, filed June 7,1944; for Electric Teakettle and Cover Assembly; Serial No, 578,137, filed'February 16, 1945," for Safety Switch and Resetting Mechanism There'- for; and Serial No. 605,740, filed'J'uly 18; 1945 now Patent No. 2,489,560, for Electric Tea kettle.

The teakettles' disclosed and/or claimed in such applications are adapted to have a ter minal plug, such as that indicated at ll; of a current conductor detachably connected thereto, as is the'case in the construction disclosed in this application. However, in this application the construction disclosed and claimed contemplates an electric teakettle which is of the cordless type that is, one in which the cord is not attached directlyto the kettle. However, the present application also contemplates an arrangement by means of which the terminal plug of the current conductor may be optionally connected directly to the kettle.

As shown in Fig. 9, the kettle is provided with two sets of'terminals or contacts as and 22'. The

, terminals 23 and 24 are electrically interconnected, while the other terminals 25 and ZBare electrically connected. to the electric resistance heating element Hi In order that the-circuit through the heating element 53 will be completed when the terminal plug l'i' is attached to one of the sets of terminals, a dummy plug 2%; as shown in Fig. 6, should be attached to the other set-of terminals.

The dummy plug 28 includes two electrically interconnected terminals Bil'omrable when thedummy plug 28'is mounted on one of the sets of side of the pivot 6!].

terminals 20 or 22 to interconnect the terminals of such set. This dummy plug 23 thus will function to arrange the terminals of the sets 29 and 22 in series, and in addition will function to shield the set of terminals to which the terminal plu ll of the current conductor is not attached. The set 28 of terminals for the kettle is shown in Figs. 1 and 2 with the dummy plug 28 connected thereto.

The set 22 of the terminals for the kettle is arranged in a socket 32 defined by a downwardly projecting portion 34 of the terminal housing 36 at the back end of the kettle. The dummy plug 28 is constructed and arranged so that it may be connected to either of the sets of terminals 20 or 22. In addition, the base It is provided with a set of terminals or contacts 38 to which the terminal plug I I may be opt onally connected. The base It is also provided with a set of contacts 40 which are positioned to be engaged by the set of terminals 22 on the kettle when the kettle I I] is arranged on the base I as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 4 and 5. r The contacts 4-D comprise pins which are positioned in guides or slots 42 formed in the base I6. The base I6 may be formed by a molded plastic so as to provide a heat resistant support for the kettle Ill. The base I5 includes a rib e4 upon which the front end of the kettle may rest. while the rear support for the kettle is rovided by the set of terminals 22 which are fixedly secured by means of nuts M to a web 48 formed on t e terminal housing 36, as shown in Figs. 4- and ,5.

The outer walls of the terminal hous ng 35 at the lower end thereof form a guide for cooperation with the seat 5c formed on the base for locatin the set of termina s 22 relative to the contacts 40 on the ase. The terminals 38 are mounted on a bracket 52 which is scr wed to the under ide of the base I6 by means of screws 54, the set 38 of terminals projecting rearwardly from the base through an opening 55 in the skirt thereof.

The bracket 52 includes an upstanding portion on which the terminal pins38 are mounted. A member 58 is pivotally mounted by means of a pin 60 on the upper end of'the bracket 52, th s member 58 being free to rock within limits about the pivot therefor provided by the pin the pin 60 being riveted to the upstan ing portion of the bracket 52. The member 58 is formed of insulating material and is adapted to form a support for the lower ends of the contacts lii, the lower ends of each of the contacts 6 resting upon the u per surface of the member 58 and arranged so that one of the contacts is on each In this manner the contacts 40 are free to ad ust themselves vertically with respect to eachother so as to engage with the downwardly projecting terminals 23 and 26 of the set 22. The contacts M! are electr cally connected by wires 62 and 54 to the terminals of set 38. The pins forming the contacts 50 sup port the rear end of the kettle through engagement with the terminals 23 and 26 of the set 22.

From the foregoing it will thus be seen that the circuit through the heating element I8 may be completed by attaching the terminal plug It to any one of the three sets of contacts 29, 22 and 38. However, when the plug I1 is attached to the terminals 38, the kettle will have to be properly arranged on the base I6 in order to complete the circuit through the heating element. However, if the plug II is attached to either of the sets of terminals 2!] or 22, the kettle need not be supported upon the base I6. The plug 28 in all instances with the circuit as illustrated in Fig. 9 would be mounted on the exposed set of terminals to which the plug I? is not attached so as to complete the circuit through the heating element.

In order to regulate the temperature to which the contents of the kettle II! are heated, a cantilever bimetal element II! may be secured at one end l2 thereof of the base IS, the bimetal element I0 being arranged in a recess I4 in the base. The bimetal element 76, when cold, will assume the position as illustrated in full lines in Fig. 4. However, in this position it is exposed to radiant heat from the adjacent bottom of the kettle Ill.

The bimetal element It is constructed and arranged so that upon being heated the end It thereof will be deflected as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4 and move upwardly to engage the bottom of the kettle Iii at the rear thereof and lift the same sumciently so as to lift the terminals of the set 22 out of engagement with the contacts All, thereby to break the electrical circuit through the heating element I8. Th rib A l provides a rocking support for the kettle. The bimetal element I0, upon cooling, will under the weight of the vessel be returned toward its original position; thereby to reestablish engagement of the terminals 22 with the contacts 49 thereby to reclose the circuit through the heating element I8.

It is obvious that the bimetal element It may be constructed and arranged so as to open and close the circuit through the element It so as to maintain the temperature of the liquidin the kettle Iii within certain predetermined limits.

A modified form of bimetal element I'll] is illustrated in Figs. '7 and 8. In this embodiment the bimetal element is arranged in a recess l t and so that upon heating of the bimetal element IIt the same will arch and engage the bottom of the vessel I!) so as to break the circuit through the heating element I8. In this case the ends I'Iii of the bimetal element I'IE abut the ends of the recess I14 and thereby function to maintain the bimetal element I'IIJ in the socket I'M. The bimetal elements 10 and Iiii and the terminals 22' and 45 thus comprise a thermostatically operated switch which will function to keep the temperature of the contents of the kettle Ii] within predetermined limits when the current conducting cord is connected to the terminals 38 on the base.

In addition to the thermostatic switch just described, the kettle Ill may include as disclosed in my aforesaid applications, a thermostatic safety switch which is operative for opening the circuit through the heating element I8 when the level of the liquid therein becomes too low due to the evaporation of the liquid. While the construction and operation of this switch is more fully disclosed in my earlier copending applications, reference may now be had to Fig. 10 for a brief statement of the construction and operation thereof. In this connection it should be observed that for some purposes it may not be necessary to include the thermostatic safety switch illustrated in Fig. 10 and/ or the thermostatic switch previously described.

As shown in Fig. 10, the terminals 25 and 24 are mounted on a plate 89 which is slidably mounted on pins 82 projecting rearwardly from the upstanding portion 82 of a bracket 86. Springs 88 positioned around the pins 82 and between the upstanding portion 84 of the bracket 85="and the -plate 80 functionetdmaintain the terminals 24 and:25 normally in the positionias illustrated in Fig; 10. A" pin-90 projects forwardlythrough the upstanding portion 84 ofthe bracket. 86 and comprises a: resetting member for-the thermostatic safety switch;

The safetyswitch comprises :the resilient contacts 92 and the movable contactM which is carried .by and :on theupper end of the rockable lever 96. The lever 96 is rockably mounted on a bimetal element 98 which-is-arranged in a well I90 inheat conducting relationship with the ends of the arms of the heating element I8. The bimetal element 98 isconstructed and arranged so that it'will rock the lever 96"so'as to move the contact 94 thereon away from the contacts 92 thereupon to open the thermostatic safety switch. Inits open position the upper end of the lever 95:.will abut1the end of the pin .90.

" The bimetal element 98 is. constructed and arranged-so that it willnot reposition the contact Bit-to close the contacts 92"when the kettle and the heating element cool down. Thus, the thermostatic safety switch 92, 94 comprises a switch which must be manually reset. This may be done by pushing inwardly on the plug 23 so as to move the plate 8!} and the pin 90 toward the contacts 92 so that the pin 98 will engage the upper end of the lever 96 and reposition the contact 94 to bridge the contacts 82.

The thermostatic safety switch 92, 94 may be positioned in the circuit between the heating element l8 and either one of the contacts 25 or 26. Its principal function is to permanently shut oi? the kettle when the kettle boils dry or the level of the water therein gets too low, and it must be manually reset in order to close the circuit through the heating element.

Springs 99 connected to laterally projecting arms on lever 86 and bimetal 98 function to bias the upper end of lever 96 to its position toward one side or the other of the bimetal 98 and to snap the lever 96 past center as it rocks on the upper knife edge of the bimetal element. For a more detailed statement of the construction and operation of the thermostatic safety switch shown in Fig. 10 reference may be had to my aforesaid applications.

While I have illustrated and described preferred embodiments of my invention. it is understood that these are capable of modification, and I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details set forth but desire to avail my self of such changes and alterations as fall within the purview of the following claims.

I claim:

1. An electric teakettle comprising a base .having a set of electric term nals to which the terminal plug of a current conducting cord may be attached, said base having a set of contacts electrically connected to said set of termina s, a kettle having set of electric terminals to which said terminal plug of a current conducting cord may be attached, said kettle also being provided with a set of contacts arranged to engage said set of contacts on said base when said kettle is positioned thereon, said kettle being provided with an electric resistance heating element therein and me ns e ectrically connecting said element to said kettle terminals and contacts, said electrical connection between said element and said kettle terminals and contacts including a detachable plug which may be selectively attached to either of said sets of terminals.

2. An electric teakettle according to the construction .set forth in. .claim 1 wherein thermally actuatedameans are-arranged on said baseand'so as 1 to; be; responsive to the temperature of said kettle, said thermally actuated means comprising abimetallic element constructed:v and. arranged-seas when heated to engage'said kettle andwthereby lifitthe same soas to separate said contact-sen said kettle from those on'said base.

3. An electriccteakettle comprising a base having electricterminals to which the terminal plug of1a current-conducting cord may be attached, said vbaseahaving contacts electrically connected tosaid terminals, a. kettle havingelectric terminals towhich' said terminal plug of a current conducting cordmay be attached, said kettle also being providedwith contacts arranged to engage said contacts .on said'base when said kettle is positionedvthereon, and means for shielding one of saidqterminals when said terminal plug is attached to the. other. of said terminals, said kettle being provided with an electric resistance heating element :therein electrically connected to said kettle terminals and contacts.

4. An electric teakettle according to the construction set forth in claim 3 wherein said base is provided with a thermally responsive element positioned so as to be deflected in response to the heat of said kettle, said element being positioned relative to said kettle so that upon deflection, said element will engage said kettle and lift the same thereby to separate said base contacts from those on said kettle.

5. An electric kettle having a set of terminals to which a terminal plug of a current conducting cord may be attached, said, kettle being provided with a second set of terminals, said kettle being provided with an electric resistance heating element electrically connected at one end to one of the terminals of one set and at its other end to one of the terminals of the other set, the other terminals of said sets being electrically interconnected, a plug adapted to be connected to one of said sets of terminals so as to electrically interconnect the same, when said terminal plug is a tached to the other, and a base having a current conducting cord attached thereto and provided with electrical contacts with which said second set of terminals on said kettle may be engaged when said kettle is operatively positioned relative to said base.

6. An electric teakettle according to claim 5 wherein said base is provided with a thermally responsive element positioned soas to be deflected in response to the heat of said kettle, said element being positioned relative to said kettle so that upon deflection, said element will engage said kettle and lift the same thereby to separate said base contacts from said second set of terminals on said kettle.

'7. An electric teakettle comprising a base having termina s to which the terminal plug of a current conducting cord may be attached, said base having contacts electrically connected to said terminals, a kettle having terminals to which said plug of a current conducting cord may be attached, said kettle also being provided with contacts arranged to engage said contacts on said base when said kettle is positioned thereon, said kettle being provided with an electric resistance heating element therein electrically connected to said kettl terminals and contacts, a non-resettable thermostatic safety switch arranged to break the electrical circuit for said heating element when the liquid level in said kettle gets low, and a thermostat responsive to the heat of said kettle and operable for periodically interrupting the circuit for the heating element whenever the temperature of the kettle rises above a predetermined amount.

8. An electric teakettle comprising a base having electric terminals to which the terminal plug of a current conducting cord may be attached, said base having contacts electrically connected to said terminals, a kettle having terminals to which said plug of a current conducting cord may be attached, saidl kettle also being provided with contacts arranged to engage said contacts on said base when said kettle is positioned thereon, said kettle being provided with an electric resistance heating element therein electrically connected to said kettle terminals and contacts, and thermostatic means for controlling the temperature to which the contents of said kettle may rise regardless of whether said terminal plug is connected to the terminals on said base or kettle.

9. A base arranged to support an electric appliance and having electric contacts, pressure equalizing means comprising a rocker arm with which said contacts are engageable for supporting said contacts for movement relative to one another, an electric appliance provided with an electric resistance heating element, and terminals for said element arranged to engage said contacts and form at least part of the support for} said appliance. i

' GORDON H. BROWN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 799,377 Harden Sept. 12, 1905 1,599,912 Naujoks Sept. 14, 1926 1,914,334 Stoddard June 13; 1933 2,181,090 Lucia Nov. 21, 1939 2,266,090 Smith Dec. 16, 1941 2,350,941 Stevenson June 6, 1944 

